Rob Flello MP has tabled a Commons motion calling for Parliament to push the UN to create a stated consensus

A Catholic MP has called on Parliament to recognise the killing of tens of thousands of people by ISIS in Syria and Iraq as genocide.

Rob Flello MP, convenor of the Catholic Legislators’ Network and Labour MP for Stoke on Trent South, has tabled a Commons motion calling for action which has received cross party support.

The motion reads: “That this House is appalled by the beheadings, crucifixions, shootings, burnings, other murders, torture, rape and extensive violence being perpetrated by Daesh or IS against Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq on the basis of religion and ethnicity; observes that this disgusting behaviour clearly falls within the definition of genocide as determined by the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide; notes the recent report from the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq, Protection of Civilians in the Armed Conflict in Iraq, which concludes that Daesh is holding approximately 3,500 slaves, mostly women and children in Iraq, primarily from the Yazidi community, and describes Daesh’s systematic and widespread violence as staggering.”

It continued: “Concluding that these acts amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity and possibly genocide; and calls on the Government to use all its influence at the UN to create a stated consensus that genocide is indeed being perpetrated so that the provisions of the Convention can urgently, legitimately and effectively be invoked and implemented.”

The Archbishop of Westminster will warn delegates at a London conference this week to guard against internet recruitment of vulnerable secondary school students by ISIS.

The cardinal is scheduled to speak to the Secondary Leaders’ Conference of the Catholic Association of Teachers, Schools and Colleges and the Catholic Education Service at London’s Amba Hotel on Thursday, but the text of his speech was released on Tuesday.

A combination of naivety, isolation, loss of shared values and easy access to the internet are making children in their early teens prime targets for the terror group, the cardinal will say.